Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Mark L. Bailey
he message of the kingdom, preached by John, Jesus, and the disciples, included both the need for repentance and the announcement of the imminent coming of the kingdom. The former prepares individuals for the latter. Whereas in Luke 8:11 the message is called the word of God, Matthew appropriately referred to it as the word of the kingdom (Matt. 13:19), that is, the good news of the kingdom. While the message of the kingdom cannot be limited to the gospel, it must at least include it, as the various gospel contexts affirm. The good news is that God acted in Jesus Christ to provide redemption for humanity and to defeat all who would stand in the way of His being recognized as King.
message of Jesus. These parables also encourage believers to remember that what God is doing during the present phase of the kingdom will enjoy a successful growth. And, in contrast to what was thought by some to be only a Jewish hope, the kingdom of God in the present age, starting with almost imperceptible beginnings, will survive and even expand to international proportions, bringing light to the nations before the end of the age. What Jesus is doing in the present age is consistent with what God has designed for the future phase of the kingdom. This includes the international ministry to the Gentiles and their participation in the kingdom of God. While the institutional structures through which God works in each age differ, they all emphasize His concern for the world. The humble beginning and seemingly small results in Jesus ministry are not inconsistent with the future manifestation of the kingdom of God in which His absolute worldwide sovereignty will be recognized and consummated. The growth of the kingdom in its interadvent phase does not result from external religious activity. Instead the growth comes by means of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. He is the invisible yet effective Agent of transforming growth.
present phase of the kingdom (v. 30). As stated earlier, the reasons are that they would be prone to misjudge because of their inability to distinguish the sons of the kingdom from the sons of the evil one, and the role of judge has been delegated to the Son of Man along with his collection agents, the angels. The disciples can be confident that though the kingdom with which they aligned themselves may have a small beginning, its future will be glorious and international through the powerful ministry of the Holy Spirit. What may seem invisible in its beginnings and even in its process and progress will have dramatic results in Gods timing. Those who are disciples of Jesus and His kingdom must be prepared to give up everything that would stand in the way of wholehearted commitment to the priority of the kingdom of God, as emphasized in the parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl merchant. Whether one realizes its value or not, whether one was looking for it or not (vv. 4446), the kingdom is so valuable it is worth giving up all for it. These are reasons for participating in the kingdom; it is valuable, and its benefits bring joy. Therefore whatever is given up for the pursuit of the kingdom is not really a loss. Gods kingdom should be the highest priority in ones life. The theme of total commitment for those who would be disciples of the kingdom is a well-recognized theme in the Synoptic Gospels.
reveal their relationship and response to Jesus. The wicked will be confined to eternal punishment and the righteous will remain to enter into the kingdom of the Father (vv. 4143, 4950). The agents of that judgment are said to be the angels, while the Son of Man is portrayed as the Judge who has the right to determine the destiny of both the righteous and the wicked. The punitive judgment is said to include all who are stumbling blocks and all who are guilty of wickedness (v. 41). This speaks not only of their personal character but also of their negative influence on others. Those so judged will experience weeping and gnashing of teeth (vv. 42, 50), which connotes the anguish and anger the condemned will experience in their eternal separation from God. The righteous, on the other hand, will enjoy the kingdom of the Father (v. 43), sharing in His glory. The parables clearly support a premillennial perspective on eschatology. After the judgment at the end of the age the righteous will become a community of believers who are said to be like light in the kingdom of the Father (v. 43). The judgment that determines who will enter this future phase of the kingdom will take place on earth; no translation of saints to heaven is mentioned in Matthew 13. Therefore the future phase of the kingdom must also be on earth, and will follow the judgment of the wicked and the righteous that will occur when the Son of Man returns to earth.
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For an extended discussion of this observation see Philip Barton Payne, Jesus Implicit Claim to Deity in His Parables, Trinity Journal 2 (Winter 1981): 223. Craig Blomberg, Interpreting the Parables (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1990), 320.
earthly ministry, and coming judgment. This title is loaded with implications for the kingdom.4 Jesus has the authority to send angels to gather humanity for the great separation at the end of the age. He is not indifferent to the evil that exists in the world, as a delay of judgment might lead some to conclude. As the One who can give directions to the angels and who will preside over the judgment, only Jesus has the authority to judge. As seen in the parable of the tares, even the servants of the Son of Man are not allowed to judge (vv. 2930). The fact that the kingdom is said to be His (v. 41) reveals He has the right to be the King. He is the One who determines the eternal punishment for the wicked and the entrance of the righteous into the kingdom of the Father. In the parable of the tares Jesus is seen as present at both the beginning of the planting process and the harvest at the end of the age. These facts clearly show that Jesus understood that He is the coming divine King.
APPLICATIONAL PRINCIPLES
Several applicational principles can be gleaned from the intended appeals of the parables in Matthew 13. 1. Not everyone will respond to the message of the kingdom, and not all who do respond are equally fruitful. 2. Satan is personally active in seeking to prevent people from receiving the message of Gods kingdom. 3. Both external pressures and internal distractions hinder the proper appropriation of the Word of God. 4. God desires that people hear, understand, and apply the truth of His Word in order to be fruitful for Him. 5. The hearers of the Word are at least partially responsible for the level of productivity in their lives. 6. Jesus followers should realize that Satan sends his representatives into the world to masquerade as sons of the kingdom to disrupt and hinder the work of Christ. 7. Believers need to be realistic about the presence of hypocrites, but believers should not assume the role reserved for Jesus by seeking to judge others.
4 Daniel 7:1314 especially speaks of the expectation of the coming kingdom and the reign of the saints with the Son of Man.
8. Servants of the Lord need to wait patiently for Jesus to judge and separate the wicked from the righteous. 9. People should decide to be followers of Christ in light of the impending judgment which will determine their eternal destiny. 10. God has promised the righteous a glorious future in the shared reign of the Son and the Father in the next phase of the kingdom, Jesus rule on earth. 11. The success of Gods work cannot be fully evaluated until the time of the judgment. 12. Messiah has come in humility and will one day reign in sovereignty. 13. The work of the Spirit authenticates the ministry of Jesus Christ. 14. Jesus disciples need to depend on the invisible yet powerfully transforming work of the Holy Spirit. 15. The kingdom of heaven should be the highest priority of anyone who finds it. 16. No sacrifice is too great in light of the value of the kingdom. 17. The joy of participating in the kingdom should motivate Jesus followers to make whatever sacrifice is necessary. 18. Discipleship calls for wholehearted dedication to Gods kingdom purposes. 19. Participation in Gods kingdom is not restricted to any single race. 20. Jesus places a high priority on evangelism to all classes and cultures. 21. The need to evangelize the world is motivated by the reality of future judgment. 22. Gods judgment will be based on inner character rather than cultural backgrounds.